Method of and apparatus for laying protecting coverings



March 1 1927.

1,619,331 A. c. CHENOWETH IBTHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING PROTECTING COVERINGS Filed March 16. 1917 Sheets-Sheet 1' 5] vwe n fez v 1,619,331 March 1927 A. c. CHENOWETH METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING PROTECTING COVERINGS Filed March 16. 1917' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 1, 1927. 1,619,331

A. c. CHENOWETH METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING PROTECTING COVERINGS Filed March 16, I917 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 \u\ u 5"? I i I I I I. m

I I I I I I I I 4 I I ilI I I I I s I I I I I I II I I I I I I I" I I I: I I I canned Item I g Z 7% I LQ\T-: I I 5x51 attozm q/ I I I IIIII I iii Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

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1,619,331 rarer-tr orriee.

ALnKAunER-oR-AWronn ca hmere, 01 unit)" YORK, 1v. 2.; CATI-IARINE R. casuawn'rn" annnvi'sirammx or SAID ALEXANDER CRAWFORD 'onuivown'rn, 13E- METHOD on Iran renames Fen LAYING rao'rnerrrre oo'vnnrives.

Application filed Manure, 1917. Serial No. 155,197.

My invention relates to protective work,

and my improvements pertain more particularly to laying protective coverings or slabs, either in green, unset condition, or in dried and hardened condition, upon the surf-ace to be protected, such as for example, the bed or bank of a body of water, or'tlie floor for a break water, or the formation of a retaining wall or slope.

I haveillustrated types of my invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a top plan view of the; apparatus with the forming barge shown as standing part Way in the space between the two floats at one end of the same and with the slab omitted.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus shown as floating upon the surface of abody of water with a finished slab upon the forming barge and connected upwith: the hoistingetackle ready to be lifted from the barge, which is subsequently.withdrawn from be neath the slab. The dotted lines in this figure indicate the parts of the two floats and the barge, which extend beneath the surface of the water.

Fig. 3 isan enlarged perspective view of a portion of a completely finished-slab with the bent wire-mesh reinforce, the slab being shown as resting upon the de'ck'of the forming barge, with a part broken away.

Fig. t is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of a slab together with a portion ofthe hoisting tackle .with its re leasing device. i.

"Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view ofthe apparatus and shows the relative positions ot the different parts after the slab has been lifted from the forming-barge and the latter Withdrawn from beneath the slab, which is sriown as being lowered at an angleto the horizontal with the inner end of the slab resting upon the bank to which it is anchored, and the outer. end exteiidiitg into the vate and? being gradually lowered onto the bed: of the body of water. i V

' Fig.6 is a transverse vertical SGCtlOlLOf the apparatus asshown lIlFlg. '1, witha finished slab in. place upon the forming bar 'ei'eady tobe lifted from it by the hoist- Fig. 7 is a vertical sectionalj i 'iew of a slightly modified form of the apparatus which the graduated set of driving-gears,

of the winding drums for the hoisting tackle, s omitted;-'and a single set of u-nifo'rm sized gears are used in order to lower the slab horizontally, and which form may be used more especially for laying a concrete slab ingreen, unset condition.

Referring to,the drawings, in which like numbersof reference designate like parts throughout, land 2, indicate two floating platforms 0 pontoons, arranged in parallel relation opposite each other an'tlupoii which is erected the superstructure 3, the said parts constituting a very substantialmechanism onthe order of a. catamaran, The superstructure 3, is constructed ofsuitable trusswork and spans the space between the twin platforms, and the structure is made of suf ficient strength to perform the work required of it; namely, to support through means of suitable hoisting mechanism, the entire weight of the completed revetment covering or slab 4:, when the same is bodily lifted froin the construction or formingbarge 5, and loweredintoplace, the barge 5, being of sufficient length to accommodate the particular length of slab that is being used, and being adapted to fit easily in be tween the twin platforms 1 and 2, from Y which place it may be withdrawn.

On the float I, I mount asuitable hoisting I apparatus 6, oii't-he' main shaft 7, "of, which is a sprocl'zet-wheel 8, over which passes a chain 9, the chain passing around another sprocket 10', on the'counter shaft 11, which is mounted transversely oftheapparatus on suitable bearings fixedon the uppermost longitudinal mei'iibers 12, of the structure. A series-of transverse winding-shafts I3, 1 1, 15, 16, 17 18,and 19,'are mounted belowthe level'of the sliaftll, and in parallel relation therewith in suitable bearings on other longitudinal members of the structure, and these shafts arerespectively providedwith sprocket-wheels 20, 21, 22, '23, 24:, 25, and 26,-- which are I engaged respectively by sprocket-chains 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, and 33, which are driven from the shaftll, through means of the respective sprockets 3e, 35, 36, 37, 3 8. 39 and 40. The. windingshafts 13 to ,19,inclusive, are provided with clutches 11, 12, 43, 44;, 4:5, 46, and 4L7, respectively (see Fig-. '1) each of which isoperated by the usual pivoted forked lever, one otwh1ch,48, is shown in the view in Fig. 6, in which the ley-block 51. This form of hoisting-tackle is placed at suilicient intervals on each of the counter-shafts to suspend with ample margin of safety the completed concrete slab 4. In the present construction I show a series of four of such tackle oneach counter-shaft, and there are seven counter-sliafts, but of course the number of these may be varied to suit the conditions required in particular cases. By this arrangement it will be seen that when all. of the clutches on the various counter-shafts are closed and the hoisting engine is in operation, each of the tackle devices will be operated in a similar manner toraise or lower the slab suspended thereby, and as it is desirable at times to make idle some of the tackle, this may be done in gangs by stopping the motion of a particular counter-shaft by opening the clutch hereinbefore described.

When the forming barge 5, has been brought into position between the two floats, as indicated for instance, in Fig. 2, with the bow of the barge projecting somewhat be yond the floats. the work oi. laying the slab may be started above the high-water mark on the bank 56, and carried thence down along the river bed 57, the body of water being indicated at 58. The reinforced coucrete slab 4, may be constructed directly on the barge after the manner indicated in Figs. 2,3. 4:. and 6,hy first placing on the deck of the barge a layer of wireniesh (it), of suitable gauge for the purpose required, a mesh eight or twelve inches square being suitable under some conditions, and over this is laid a piece of burlaps 61, or other suitable fabric, and a sheet of wire-mrsh (52, heat in parallel ridges showing in cross section a Z-sha 'ied figure as indicated in Fi s. 3, and i 4-, and then the wet concretetSP-l placed upon the bent wire-mesh and packed upon it and levelled oil' so as to completely embed the mesh. the depth of the concrete being four inches though this dimension may, of course, be varied. The bottom layer (30, ot wire mesh, is used as a lifting means or cradle and attached to it are a series of lifting-eyes 64, the stems oi? which are sullicient ly long to pass through the body of concrete so that the eyes appear clear above the upper surface of the slab as indicated more particularly in Figs. 3, and 4. These eyes 64;, are adapted to be engaged by a releasable hook 65. hanging from a cable 66, which is attached to the pulley block 51, of the hoisting-tackle. Each book is provided with a pivoted beak 67, which is locked in closed position, by means of a pivoted link (38, pivoted on the stem of the book (55, and this link has attached to it a pull cord 69 (see Figs. 2 and 4), which runs to a point on the super-structure from where it may be ope 'ated to release the link from the beak of the hook in order to detach it from the eye 64, and this is done when the slab is deposited and is to be disconnected from the hoisting tackle. H

In the hoisting-tackle thus far described, the several winclings'hat'ts are to be driven at the same speed, and when employed to lower the slab. the latter will descend in horizontal position. In order, however, to lower the slab in a position inclined to the surface of the water, as indicated in Fig. 5, 1 provide additional devices as follows:

On the countershaft 11, is mounted a second set of sprocket-wheels 70, to 76, inclusive, which drive the belts T 7, to 88, respectively, and these belts in turn drive the respective sprockets 8-1, 85, 86, S7, 88, 89, and 90, which are mounted loosely on the respecti ve winding-shafts 15, 13, 1 1-, 16., 17, l8, and 19. The sproeketsSG, to 90, inclusive, are each provided with a clutch 91, which when open permits the sprocket to run :free on the shat The s 'irockels S5, to 90, inclusive are graduated in size. the smallest one being 85,

so that the winding sha'i'ts run at ditlerent speeds, the higheiiit speed being" that driven by the smallest sprocket 85. By virtue of this arrangement, the slab when lifted from the barge and the latter is withdrawn, may have one end lowered with greater speed than the other, so that the slab in its descent assumes a pronoimced angle to the plane of the surface of the water, as indicated in Fig. 5. This variation in the speed with. which the respective ends of the slab are lowered, is utilized with slabs that have been hardened or set before being laid upon a sloping or inclined surface.

At one end of the apparatus, and which may be termed the forward end or how, l make a special construction oi trussed-work of the s!iper-structure in order to have it overhang the ends of the floats a substantial distance as indicated at 92, and some of the llOlStlllgdiflCh'lG is mounted on this overhanging structure. This arrangmnent permits the apparatus to be moved close in toward the shore 56, as the adjacent end of the slab is raised. so that this end of the slab can be placed well up on the shore or slope above the water line, as indicated in Fig. 5. IIrorder to further assist in the laying of slabs from a point high on the loo Ismael I series of spacing bars 96', which are loosely connected between the cables 66, which suspend the hooks 65, from the pulleys 51, of the hoisting-tackle, the respective ends of the spacing-bars 9 6, being provided with just Lil and great weight.

operated to lower the tackle.

eyes 97, through which the cables 66 .pass (see Fig. 4) I also use transversely arranged spacing-bars or links 98, (see Figs. 4' and 6), which by means of eyes on the respective ends, are loosely connected with the cables 66 whichsuspend the hooks. This arrangement of the longitudinal and transverse spacing-bars between each of the points of suspension of the slab, serves to prevent the points of suspension being made to ap-' proach each other, which action might tend to buckle the suspended slab.

In laying a hardened slab from a point on the shore to a point on the bottom some distance downin the water, I rest the inner end'of the stab on the shore, as indicated in Fig. 5, and this serves as a. fulcrum or point of support in lowering the other end of the slab into place. This method of resting or fulcruming one edge of the slab on the-ground relieves the apparatus of considerable of the weight of the slab, and this is an important advantage in depositing these heavy slabs on slopes. In this opera.- tion the slab revolves on its point of rest as an axis of motion and this also has its advantages iii handling slabs of large size As. the hoisting-tackle has each of the winding-shafts under control of a clutch, each shaft may be operated independently of theother in order to adthe angle of inclination of the slab in lowering it, and it will also be noted that while some of the winding-shafts may be operated tl'l Slab,

readily understood from 5, where it is shown that the tackle at the forward end of the slab h'as'been operated so as to raise that.

end, while the tackle towards tl'ie'other end of the slab has been operated in the reverse manner so as to lower the slab. I' also place thefi-xed pulleys 52, at a point onthe strucrare between the forward end ofthe appa ratus and the windin -shaft cooperating with said pulley, and this serves to relieve the strain on the tackle as the slab swings iii-shore! r As these slabs are of considerableweight,

the hoistin-g blocks "and tackle may be increased as required, and the attaching points or eyes 64, on the slab may beaccordingly increasedfi It will benoted that thesesuspension eyes", in the construction which I; "heresl'iow, are secured at their lower ends toraise the tackle at one end of the slrafts'at the other end maybe This will be to the wire in Figs. 3 and 4. Thisarrangement pro vides a very strong construction and particularly 'in connection with the bent wire reinforce herewith shown, which in itself acts to take up the stress. V

In'the apparatus shown in Fig.7, the hoisting-sprockets of graduated 7 size and their adjuncts are dispensed with and. the

hoisting apparatus is provided with the set of uniform sized sprockets 20 to 26', inclu-. sive, together with the various ad 'unctS de* scribed in connection with the other figures. T his form of apparatus is used in laying reinforced concrete slabs in green, uns'et condition, and when they are flexible. In so using the apparatus, the slab assoon as com pleted and before it is set, is lifted from the forming-barge 5, by means of the hoistingtackle described, and while suspended, the Y forming-barge is withdrawn from beneath the slab. If the slab is to be laid well upon" the shore, as indicated in 7, the apparatus is then moved in-shore, and the end of the slab adyacent 1S hoisted so as to clear the shore until the point is reached where it is to be laid and then the end is deposited upon the shore and the lowering of the tackle deposits the slab gradually on the shore 56, and down on the water-bed, as indicated in Fig. 7, in which figure the main part of the slab is just about to be laid on the water-bed. As each of the windingshafts is controlled by a clutch, which cooperates with the sprocket on the shaft, the different parts of the slab may be raised or lowered independently of other parts, and this feature is utilized when laying the inner end of the slab well up on the shore or slope, at which time the hoisting-tackle which suspends the inner or shore end of the slab is operated independently of the other tackle.

The apparatus may be provided with the usualwinches and hawsers for holding the apparatus in place in the water so as to prevent it from moving outof place, and I show the platforms provided withkwin'ches 9 9, at the forward end for receiving hawsers. 100, while at the other end of the platforms clutch 105, and a hand-operated brake 106,

frame or" cradle 60, as indicated the brake being manipulated by the operator when the load on the tackle is lowered. By the use of this brake in theapparatus sl'io'wn theslab may be lowered'by gravity by the operatorhandling. the brake to regulate. the

speed with which the slab 'descencs, and he V can'lik-ewise at'willstop'the descent of the slab. V

In the operation of theapparatus'in sub aqueous work on slopesand in deep water, the reinforced concrete slab or covering may be constructed upon the :lormingbaree either before it is warped into place between the two floats or platforms, of the catamaran, or after the barge has been, moved in between these platforms. When the forming-barge is in place with the finished slab thereon, the hooks of the hoisting-tack are connected with the suspending eyes or rings on the slab, and the engine is started so as to lift the slab suflicientlyfrom the barge to withdraw it from beneath the slab. The tackle is then operated to lower the slab as hereinbefore described and the same is deposited on the ground at a point below the space between the floats, which has been previously occupied by the forming-barge. hen the slab is on the ground, each of the hooks is detached and the hoisting-tackle is thereby released and is then raised above the level of the forming-barge. The apparatus is then moved either in a fore or aft direction or sideways so as to lay another slab adjacent to the first one, and the operation is then repeated. As the means for support ing the slab from below and the slab hoisting mechanism may be moved relatively to each other in the horizontal when the slab is to be lowered into its position of test, either the said support may be so moved horizontally afterthe slab is slightly lifted and suspended, or the said support may be held at restand the slab be lifted and the support cleared by a horizontal movement of said hoist.

A set of for!ning-bargcs may be operated in conjunction with the single catamaran apparatus herein described, and by the use of this apparatus, I propose to lay reinforced sub-aqueous concrete slabs of a very large size. say forty feet by one hundrml feet, and about four inches thick; the apparatus being, constructed of sullicicnt strength to handle slabs of this size and \Vt-dglll', which latter in some cases might reach two hundred tons. \Vhcre the slabs are laid in set or hardened condition, they may be made at a distant point aml brought to the catamaran on barges, which in turn may be warped in between the floats.

When it is desired to inspecta slab after it has remained on the water-bed for some length of time, this may be readily done by leaving the tackle connected with the deposited slab until the desired time to raise it, and this affords a convenient facility for such inspection. The raised slab may then be re-deposited in its place and the tackle disconnected therefrom. This an important advantage in sub-aqueous work.

An important featureof the construction herewith shown is that of the tie or rods which are connected between each tackle in two directions at right angles to spacing;

each other, and which serve to prevent any sag or tendency to pull together the points of suspension at the anchor bolts by the bending of the slab due to its great weight, and these rods also act to resist strain. This of especial importance where the slab is deposited more than once, as in the case where a slab is to be inspected after once having been deposited, and also in the laying of concrete slabs in green, plastic form before they are hardened.

To lay the slabs on a sloping embankment under water involves conditions more complex than merely lowering the slabs from a barge, floating on the surface, to the riverbed whose plane is substantially parallel to the water surface.

It is important to note that a machine capable of performing the sub-aqueous work herein referred to must be practically stable and the centre of gravity must be held practically in the line of stable equilibrium, as in the ctmstruction herewith shown, and as will be understood from the crosssection of the apparatus in Fig. (5. In this apparatus the metric centre is always above the centre of gravity and these two centres are in the same vertical plane, and this is an important result. 111 handling sub-aqueous slabs of large area and great weight, the centre of gravity and line of stable equilibrium can be held in the transverse and longitudinal position by shifting the load so as to balance it by means of the movable barge on which the slab is placed.

This apparatus is especially adapted to lay protective coverings or slabs on waterbeds or embankments to protect the same against erosion, and it particularly adapted for river embanlnnents of the character found to exist on the h lississippi River. The apparatus may also be used for foundation work where large areas of grillage are sunk by a. superimposed layer or slab of concrete, the grillage serving as a cradle and as part of the foundation; and also for constructing sub-aqueous floors in break-water construction in deep water, as well as covering large areas of sub aqueous surfaces in shallow water from the embankment down 1 and out in the deep water.

i wish to be Hiltltlf-Itfifltl as not limiting my invention to the particular structures herewith set forth as various modifications may be made in the different parts thereof, without departing from the spirit of my invention. y g

Having thus described my invention, what i I claim 1s:

1. In apparatus for laying slabs on the surface to be protected, floats spaced apart with an unobstructed water space between them, a movableslab ing moved horizontally into and out of the space between said floats, hoisting tackle support capable of between them, hoisting mechanism for the slabv structure between the same,

mounted on said floats for engaging and lifting a slab from saidsupport clear of the same when the support is to be withdrawn, said hoisting tackle being constructed and arranged to lower one 'end of the engaged slab at greater speed than the other and thereby cause the slab to be lowered out of the horizontal to its position of rest.

I 2. In apparatus for laying protective slabs on the surface to be protected, the combin-ation of two plat-forms arranged in substantial parallel relation opposite each other with the space between them open at the respective ends, a super-structure mounted above said platforms and over the space bemounted on said super-structure, and a slab carrying barge adapted to be warped in between said platforms and withdrawn therefrom at either end.

3. In apparatus for laying protective slabs on the surface to be protected, the combination of two platforms arranged in substantial parallel relation opposite each other with the space between them open at the respective ends, a superstructure mounted above said platforms and over the space between them, hoisting mechanism for the slab mounted on said super-structure, and a slab carrying barge adapted to be warped in between said platforms and to be withdrawn therefrom at either end, the said superstructure projecting beyond one end of said platforms so as to overhang the space between the platforms at such end.

4. In apparatus for laying slabs on the surface'to be protected, a pair of permanently spaced apart floats and a superhoisting tackle mounted on said superstructure above said space, a horizontally movable slab support which can be moved into and out of the space between said floats to permit vertical lowering of a slab by said hoisting tackle.

5. In apparatus for laying slabs on the surface to be protected, a pair of floats spaced'apart and having a tacklev supporting structure mounted on said floats and bridging the space therebetween and serving to maintain the floats in spaced apart relation, hoisting tackle mounted on said structure, adapted to be entered and withdrawn in said space between the floats.

6. In apparatus for laying slabs on the surface to be protected, a pair of floats arranged side-by-side in suitably spaced apart relation,a super-structure mounted on each float and spanning the space between them,

said structure being provided at one end with an extension overhanging the ends of the floats and adapted to extend and be disposed up a bank, a movable slab supporting barge adapted to be moved into and out of the space between the floats, and hoisting tackle arranged on said superstructure for and a slab supporting bargesuspending the slab over said space and up a bank. 7

7. The method of laying revetment slabs, which consists in maintaining a pair of floats in spaced apart relation side-by-side, supporting the slab on a barge entered between said floats, then hoisting said slab bodily from the barge, then withdrawing the barge from between the floats, and then lowering the suspended slab to position of rest.

In testimony whereof, my hand.

I have hereunto set ALEXANDER CRAWFORD CHENOWETH. 

